Air operated apparatus for cleaning small parts by jiggling in a turbulent cleaning solution



mg, 29, 1950 M. J. A. ZINTY 2,520,354 AIR OPERATED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SMALL PARTS BY JIGGLING IN A TURBULENT CLEANING SOLUTION Filed April 28, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7.9 20 INVENTOR. 9 Marce/ J14. Z/n'fy BY ATTORNEYS Au 29, 1950 M. J. A. ZlNTY ,3

AIR OPERATED APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SMALL PARTS BY JIGGLING IN A TURBULENT CLEANING SOLUTION Filed April 28, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Narce/ J. 14. Z/my ATTORNEYS performed using but unit.

Patented Aug. 29, 1950 SMALL PARTS BY JIGGLING IN A LENT CLEANING SOLUTIQN TURBU- Marcel J. A. Zi nty,New York, N. Y., assignor to Magnus Chemical Company, Inc.,

Garwood,

N. J., a corporation of New York i 1 Application April 28,1948, Serial No.2a'z1s The invention relates to apparatus for cleaning small objects such as metal parts, nuts, bolts, and sundry items, and particularly to apparatus employing a solvent or cleaning solution. A principal object of the invention is to provide cleaning apparatus characterized by its economic construction and operation, and by means of which a plurality of steps, each separately useful from .a cleansing standpoint, may be simultaneously a single power-operated Generally speaking, the invention comprises apparatus for cleaning work pieces and includes a vessel for holding a cleaning solution, a worksupporting platform in the vessel, and means for supporting the platform for see-saw oscillation. Air-operated means are provided, suitably connected to the platform for oscillating it, and the exhaust air therefrom is passed to the solution beneath the platform for release therein to agitate the same. Adjacent its ends the platform is provided with paddle members for oscillation therewith to further agitate the solution as the platform is oscillated. Additionally, a pump is disposed in the vessel adjacent one end of the platform and is provided with an actuator and intake means for the solution. The platform is connected to the pump actuator and as itis oscillated, the pump is operated. A secand platform is arranged in the vessel above the level of the cleaning solution for supporting work pieces removed therefrom, and a nozzle outlet connected to the discharge side of the pump directs solution onto work pieces supported on the second platform.

The invention may be more completely understood by referring to the accompanying drawings in which are illustrated, more or less diagrammatically, selected embodiments and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of one form of apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 22 of Fig. 1, some of the construction being omitted;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views corresponding to Fig. l with part of the construction omitted to illustrate the mechanism of one of the cleansing actions; and

Fig. 5 is a view, corresponding to Fig. 1 of a modified form of apparatus.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a cleaning unit comprising a tank or vessel I having a lid 2 and legs 3 and containing a solvent or cleaning solution 4. A perforated worksupporting member or platform 5, having upturned edges 6, is oscillatably supported in the 2 Claims. ((31. 134-434) lower portion of the tank on suitable mean comprising a shaft '1, to which the platform is secured, and which in turn is mounted in a pair of bearings 8, 9. The platform is balanced on the shaft so as to normally assume the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1. A basket lil for work pieces, also mounted in a balanced position, is shown supported on the platform. Platform 5 and basket iii are adapted to be immersed in the cleaning solution.

Air-operated means in the form of an air motor !2 is provided for oscillatin the platform in see-saw fashion.

The motor, which functions under air pressure, comprises a cylinder !3 secured to a wall of the tank above the solution by means of one or more brackets 54 and having an air inlet l5 and an exhaust air outlet It. A piston rod of plunger ll, adapted to be reciprocated by the motor, is connected through a clevis or other suitable connection I8 to a rod M which in turn issecured to one end of the platform as at 20. Thus, as the piston rod I1 is reciprocated by motor 12, the platform is moved up and down in see-saw fashion in the solution so that the work pieces in basket m are agitated.

Coin-cidently with the sec-saw oscillation of the platform, exhaust air from motor I2 is passed through outlet, It and line 2| to a perforated pipe 22 disposed at the base of the tank beneath the platform. Exhaust air thus bubbles upwardly through the solution and by means of such agitation the cleaning of the parts in basket ID is aided. Line 2| has a three-way valve 23 which enables the exhaust air to be passed to the atmosphere when desired.

To help further in securing good agitation, paddle members 24 and 25 are attached to each end of platform 5 for agitating or stirring the solution adjacent thereto as the platform is oscillated. The manner in which the solution is stirred is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. As paddle 25 moves downwardly (Fig. 3), the solution tends to flow upwardly through the righthand portion of basket It], as indicated by the arrows. Similarly, as paddle member 24 moves upwardly, the solution tends to flow downwardly through the lefthand portion of basket container Ill. When the platform is moved in the reverse direction, the flow of solution through each of said rightand lefthand portions of the basket tends to be the reverse of that described, as indicated in Fig. 4. In other words the solution tends to flow or swish alternately clockwise and counterclockwise through each half or end portion of basket 10,

.pump 26.

3 with the flow through both portions being opposite in direction at a particular instant.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, a pump 26 is mounted in the tank adjacent the platform 5 and is provided with an actuator which is connected to the oscillating platform and by which the pump may be operated. Both the pump and the actuator may be of any suitable construction. The form of pump shown is a conventional stirrup pump having intake means 21 and discharge means 23. The actuator comprises a shaped :or bent rod-like member or link 2% connected to the piston rod 38, suitable means being provided to adapt the pump and/ or actuator to the oscillatory motion of the platform. In the form shown, the pump is pivoted to the base of the tank as generally indicated at 3i, in which a pump bracket 32 is shown pivoted to a stationary bracket 33 by means of a pivot member 34. The discharge outlet 23 of the pump is connected by means of line 35 to a suitable nozzle or valve 36,, by which solution may be applied to parts to be cleaned in the basket it or to parts 3'? resting on the platform 38 after having been removed from basket l0. Platform 38 simply comprises a pair of sliding trays as, is supported on brackets mounted .at each side of the tank, one of which is shown at 4| As will be appreciated from the foregoing .description of Fig. 5, the following actions take place as a result of the energy supplied by the motor l2: the work pieces in basket ID are mechanically agitated in the cleaning solution by virtue of the see-saw oscillation of the platform; the cleaning solution itself is agitated by the exhaust air that is released in it; the cleaning solution is further agitated by the paddles attached to the platform; and the work pieces are sprayed with solvent, either while they are in the basket or on the platform 38, by the operation .of the A variety of cleaning actions is thus supplied at considerable economy in power consumption. It may be pointed out, in this connection, that the power initially required of the motor to oscillate the platform '5 is very small due to the balancing of the platform, including the load thereon. The power for such oscillation need only overcome the inertia of the platform,

and is practically independent of the load,

The type of cleaning solution generally used with equipment of this kind is a petroleum solvent such as a kerosene or lower boiling fraction.

a With the air motor I2 there is no fire hazard involved with such solvents, as would usually be the case if an electric motor were employed. As stated, a variety of parts may be cleaned, including those usually found in machine and automobile shops and the like.

While the invention has been described in connection with more or less specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that it is capable of obvious variations without departing from its scope.

In the light of the foregoing description, the following is claimed:

1. Apparatus for cleaning work pieces comprising a vessel for holding a cleaning solution,

a work-supporting member in the lower portion of the vessel, means for supporting said member in an oscillatable position, said member and supporting means being adapted to be immersed in cleaning solution, an air-operated motor mounted in said vessel above the level of the cleaning solution, a reciprocable plunger driven by said motor and connected to one end of the member for oscillating the same, means for passing exhaust air from the motor to the solution beneath said member for release therein to agitate the same, and paddle members attached to each end .of the workesupporting member for agitating the solution adjacent thereto as said member is oscillated.

2. Apparatus for cleaning work pieces comprising a vessel for holding a cleaning solution, a work-supporting platform in the vessel, means for supporting said platform for see-saw oscillation, air-operated means connected to the platform for oscillating the same, means for passing exhaust air from said air-operated means to the solution beneath said platform to agitate said solution, and paddle members adjacent the ends of said platform for oscillation therewith to agitate the solution as the platform is oscillated.

MARCEL J. A. ZINTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in :the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 52"];322 Crosby Oct. 9, 1894 726,016 Blanchard Apr. 2, 1903 2,194,607 McDevitt Mar. 26, 1940 

